POS0197-PARE ANDAI EDUCATIONAL SUMMER CAMP: IMPACT IN CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS WITH JUVENILE RHEUMATIC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES
Authors: C. F. Gomes, B. Correia, A. Pais, F. Oliveira-Ramos, E. Mateus
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Paediatric rheumatic diseases include the spectrum of musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders occurring during childhood<sup>[1]</sup>. In addition to the physical effects, rheumatic diseases, as chronic conditions, pose a considerable risk for developing psychological distress<sup>[2]</sup>. Offering an educational camp to children and teenagers with disabilities or chronic diseases is one strategy to enhance adjustment and reduce the psychosocial risk factors related to chronic illness<sup>[3]</sup>. Thus, a summer camp for children and teenagers with juvenile rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) was created in Portugal in 2018 by the National Association of Patients with Juvenil Arthritis (ANDAI) – the ANDAI Educational Summer Camp (ESC). This annual event (online during the pandemic) provides recreational and supporting facilities for children and teenagers with juvenile RMDs during the summer holiday period. The main goal of ANDAI ESC is to promote the sharing of experiences as well as to support and work on confidence in coping with challenges of a RMD in childhood/youth. <h3>Objectives</h3> This study aims to assess the impact of ANDAI ESC on the lives of children and young people with RMDs. In addition, it also aims to make this project known to the rheumatology community, as well as to inspire other groups and patient associations. <h3>Methods</h3> Participant's data such as age, gender, diagnostic and treatment was collected. The clinical, social and psychological impact of ESC was assessed by a questionnaire applied to the participants after the ANDAI ESC. The perceived impact of the ANDAI ESC by health professionals' volunteers was also evaluated by a different questionnaire. <h3>Results</h3> Forty-five children or young people with RMDs participated in one or more editions of the ANDAI ESC. The median number of participants in ANDAI ESC was 17(9) participants per edition, with a majority of female participants (62%). The median age of participants in the different editions was 12(4) years old. Of those invited to participate in this study, 22 children (48% response rate) and 11 health professionals (53% response rate) completed the survey. The great majority of the participants (95,5%) recognized the positive impact of the ESC on understanding and acceptance of the disease. In fact, after participating in ANDAI ESC, 90.5% of these children claim to have a more optimistic perspective on the evolution of their disease. In addition, when asked on a scale from 0 (no impact) to 10 (significant impact) about the perceived outcome of ESC on their RMD patients, 88.8% of the participating health professionals marked the three higher scaled levels, agreeing that it had a positive effect on these children. <h3>Conclusion</h3> In conclusion this study demonstrates that ANDAI ESC improved patient's confidence in coping with the challenges of a RMD in childhood/youth, reaching the objectives initially defined. Thus, ANDAI ESC proved to be an important resource to the juvenile RMD community in Portugal. <h3>References</h3> [1]Davies, K. &amp; Copeman, A. The spectrum of paediatric and adolescent rheumatology. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Rheumatol. 20, 179–200 (2006). [2]Hysing, M., Elgen, I., Gillberg, C., Lie, S. A. &amp; Lundervold, A. J. Chronic physical illness and mental health in children. Results from a large-scale population study. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 48, 785–792 (2007). [3]Yang, J., Shafran, R., Bennett, S. &amp; Jolly, A. An investigation into the psychosocial impact of therapeutic recreation summer camp for youth with serious illness and disability. Clin. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 26, 1111–1123 (2021). <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> NIL. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.